


Never Fades

by helens78



Category: Firefly
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-08
Updated: 2006-03-08
Packaged: 2017-10-05 20:05:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helens78/pseuds/helens78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mal wishes he could do something for Zoe other than keep out of her way; Zoe hates knowing that things are going to get better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Fades

**Author's Note:**

> While it's not shown in the fic, Wash's death is the focus of this story.

Mal's not one for giving comfort, and he knows it. There are some pains that don't heal; some scars that no amount of time can ever fade. It's not that way with Zoe when it comes to the war -- she's patched up more than he'll ever be -- but he expects it'll be so when it comes to Wash.

He curses Wash sometimes, privatelike, when no one's around to hear. Curses him for complicating things on a boat that never needed it; curses him for dying and leaving a scar on Zoe that can't be patched with spit and baling wire.

* * *

There ain't much comfort to be had on _Serenity_. Never has been. But Zoe knew herself when she told Mal she'd fly true. Tore up she might be -- probably will be for a long time. Zoe knows the grieving process inside and out, and it's something she keeps to herself.

She hates herself sometimes for being able to go without him at all. He was the brightest star in her sky, but he wasn't ever the only one. The rest of her sky's still out there. Sometimes she hates all those damn stars for not fading the way Wash did.

_-end-_


End file.
